Means for releasing the fastenings of metallic parts in case of fire.



Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

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E. H- MOGLOUD. MEANS FOR RELEASING THE FASTENINGS 0F METALLIC PARTS IN CASE OF FIRE. LPPLIUATIOR FILED NOV-20, 1907.

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EDWARD H. McGLOU-D, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE KINNEAR MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

MEANS FOR RELEASINGTHE FASTENINGS =OZE' METALLIC PARTS IN CASE OF FIRE.

Specification-of, Letters Patent.

Application filed November 20,1907. Serial N 0. 402,959.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, -'EDWARD H. MoCLoUD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Means for Releasing the Fastenings of Metallic Parts in Case of Fire, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby metallic structures may have their fastening devices liberated to allow for expansion, or where the structure is composed of several parts, the fastening devices of such parts liberated to allow for the difierential expansion of the parts when subjected to a dangerous rise of temperature, as in case of near-by fire. Instances of the use of such invention are exemplified in channels for fire shutters or doors and in the bottom bars of fire shutters or curtains, and such'are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. For example the channels for rolling fire shutters are frequently made up of two ormore metallic bars bolted together. To provide for the unequal expansion of such bars it has, prior to the present invention, been a practice to bolt such bars fixedly together at one point and loosely at anotheror others, one of the bars being provided with one or more elongated bolt holes so as to permit longitudinal slipping of the bars with reference to each other. Great care was necessary to avoid turning up the nuts or bolts so tightly as to prevent the desired slipping of the bars and in my practice I found that workmencould not be relied upon to leave the bolts sutiiciently loose to insure the proper expansion and straightness of the bar or bars when they were acted on by undue heat.

My present invention aims to remedy this difliculty and consists generally in-employing in combination with a bar or bars in which it is desirable to prevent buckling and to permit expansion when subjected to undue heat, a clisintegrable washer that is interposed at the point where the boltand nut are applied,-so that it shall become unimportant as to how tightly the workman may turn up and leave the bolt and nut. In

I other words, the necessity for the exercise of care on the part of those who are not likely to exercise it is obviated and a successful operation of the devices at the critical time insured.

In said drawingsFigure 1 is a side View of a fraction of a fire shutter; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line w-w Fig. 1, showing the use of the invention in connection with a rivet for securing the parts to gether; Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line y-y Fig. 1, showing the invention in connection with a bolt for fastening the structure to a wall; Figs. 4, 5 and '6 are elevations of the opposite edges and a side view respectively of a complex channel as constructed for the use of my invention; Fig. 7 is a side view of a bottom bar of a fire shutter; Fig. 8 shows in side view a slotted fragment of angle bar, on a larger scale, used in constructing such a bottom Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

expansion bolt, such as indicated at 15, to a secure the upper end of the channel to the wall, should be round, as seen at15. The channel is secured to the wall usually by expansion bolts passed through the channel at several points along its length. Between the threads of the bolts and the adjacent plate of the channel bar is interposed a steelwasher 16 and a washer 17 of a material disintegrable by, a dangerous rise of temperature, such as would be occasioned by the presence of a near-by fire. The material of said washer 17 may be fusible solder. It may even be paper, or wood, but the solder is preferable, because, as is well known, it can be made so as to be disintegra'ble at a lower temperature than would be required to disintegrate wood or paper. The purpose of this disintegrable washer is to effect the automatic loosening of the bolts, thereby permitting the members of the channel to expand and retain their straight condition. Where the channel is secured fixedly at the top, the channel members will, of course, expand downward, and the elongated bolt 7 bars,

holes will permit the members to expand at different rates. The expansion of the members is, of course, at different rates when the heat is greater at one Side than at the other, as is usually the case. The closing plate 18 at the foot of the channel is shown to be connected to the side member of the channel by means of a rivet in substantially the same way that the main members of the channel itself are secured together, that is to say, there is also employed the elongated rivet hole and disintegrable washer.

In the case of the bottom bar illustrated I in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, the middle hole,

as seen at 20 Fig. 7, for the bolt or rivet will preferably be circular, to receive the bolt or rivet with a tight fit, while the rivet or bolt holes at each side of the middle are elongated, as seen at 21. In this instance the expansion, upon the presence of excessive heat, is, of course, outward from the center when the connection is loosened by the disintegration of the disintegrable washer. InFigs. 9 and 10 the bolts are designated 23 and the steel and disintegrable washers 16 and 17 respectively.

The function of the outer steel washer is to protect the disintegrable washer and preserve it from injury under ordinary conditions.

By reason of this invention the channel bottom bars or other parts may beheld tight under normal conditions, but in case of fire are rendered expansible to preserve their proper alinement and to avoid buckling and the creation of openings for the passage of flames. The disintegrable washers need -not be made thick but only sufliciently so to bring about a looseness of the bolts or rivets upon their disintegration.

Bolts and rivets as described herein are treated as the equivalent of each other. They are of iron or brass or other metal relatively non-fusible and adapted to withstand a dangerous rise of temperature. It is also well understood that the disintegrable or deformable washer when of metal can boot lead or an alloy thereof such as ordinarily used in connection with devices that are released in case of fire. Such fusible metal can be manufactured, as well known, by alloying lead so as to melt at temperatures ranging from say 150 degrees to 600 degrees Fahrenheit and the precise tem eratureat which a washer shall melt or disintegrate is a matter of choice depending upon the situation of use, of insurance underwriting requirements and perhaps other considerations.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a structure of the kind described, the combination including a pair of parallel metallic bars perforated transversely to receive shanked fastening devices, the perforation in one of said bars having a diameter sufficiently larger than the shank of the fastening device to permit without distortion different rates of longitudinal expansion of the bars when they are subjected to a rise of temperature, shanked fastening devices extending transversely through said bars at said perforations, and disintegrable Washers securing said bars with reference to said fastening devices.

2. In means of the kind described, the combination of two parts, one of which is a metallic bar subject to longitudinal expansion by heat, said bar being provided with a hole for the passage of a bolt sufliciently large to permitv longitudinal expansion ofthe bar transversely of the bolt without buckling, a bolt in such hole, and means associated with the bolt and bar for normally restricting their movement with reference to each other, said means adapted to be disintegrated by adangerous rise of temperature to release the bar for longitudinal expansion.

3. In means of the kind described, the combination of two parts, one of which is a metallic bar subject to longitudinal expansion by heat, said bar being provided at one point with means for holding the same, and at'another point with a hole for the passage of a bolt, said hole being sufiiciently large to permit longitudinal expansion of the bar transversely of the bolt without buckling, and means associated with the bolt and bar for normally restricting their movement with reference to each other, said means adapted to be deformed by a dangerous rise of temperature to release the bar for longitudinal expansion by the rising temperature.

4:. In means of the kind described, the combination of two parts, one of which is a metallic bar subject to longitudinal expansion by heat, means for holding the bar at one point, a' securing member for. said bar at another point adapted to permit longitudinal expansion of'the bar but prevent substantial lateral movement thereof, and thermally controlled means associated with the securing means and bar to permit the tight securing of the bar by the securing means, saidrthermally controlled means being adapted to be deformed by a dangerous rise of temperature to release the bar for longitudinal expansion by the rising temperature.

' 5. In means of the kind described, the combination of two parts,.one of which is a metallic bar subject to longitudinal expansion by heat, means-for holding the bar at one point, a securing member for said bar at another point adapted to permit longitudinalexpansion of the bar but prevent substantial lateral movement thereof, said securing member being adapted to with stand a dangerous rise of temperature, and thermally controlled means associated with the securing member and bar to permit the tight securing of the bar by the said securing member, said thermally controlled means being adapted to be deformed by a dangerous rise of temperature to release the bar for longitudinal expansion. v

6. In means of the kind described, the combination of two parts, oneof which is a metallic bar subject to longitudinal expansion by heat, a securing member for said bar adapted to permit longitudinal expansion of the bar but prevent substantial lateral movement thereof, said securing member being adapted to withstand a dangerous rise of, temperature, and thermally controlled means associated with the securing member and bar to permit the tight securing of the bar by the sa d securing member, said thermally controlled means being adapted to be deformed by a dangerous rise of temperature to release the bar for longitudinal expansion.

EDWARD H. McGLOUD. Witnesses:

.ALBERT RUSH,

BENJAMIN FINOKEL. 

